Apparatus for generating acetylene gas.



No. 634,945. Patented Oct. I7, I899. 0. M. KEMP.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING AGETYLENE GAS.

(Application filed May 16, 1896.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-$heet I.

WITNESSES INVENTEIR isu. MUAJW/W A? A-r-r mam-1v m: ubnms PETERS 0a.. mom-Limo" WASHINGTON. o. n.

No. 634,945. Patented 001:. I7, 1899.

C. M. KEMP. I

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ACETYLENE GAS.

{Application filed May 16, 1896.) No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheqt 2.

INVENTDR ATTu NaY.

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CLARENCE M. KEMP, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

APPARATUS FOR GENERATING ACETYLENE GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 634,945, dated October 1'7, 1899-. Application filed May 16, 1896. Serial No. 591,773. (No model.)

To (all who'm/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE M. KEMP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invent ed certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Generating and Storing Acetylene Gas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates toan acetylenegas apparatus embracing removable receptacles for inclosing and carrying calcium carbid in which provision is made for applying water to only a small portion of the inclosed calcium carbid at a time and also embracing apparastoring apparatus.

tus for storing the gas and automaticallycontrolling the application of the water so as to apply the water with a degree of rapidity corresponding to the rapidity of consumption of the stored gas.

In order to make my invention clearly uir derstood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without, however, intending to limit my invention to this particular construction.

Figure 1 shows a vertical section of the gasstoring apparatus and an elevation of the calcium-carbid receptacles, pipes, valves, .and water-supply. Fig. 2 is a front view showing the various parts seen in Fig. 1 except the gas- Fig. 3 is asectional'view of the automatic gas-pressure relief-valve. Fig. 4c is a vertical section of one of the removable receptacles. Fig. 5 is a top view of same. Fig. 6 is a View of one of the pans or trays. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate one modification, and Fig. 9 another, of the receptacle.

The letter A designates a case or receptacle, in the present instance cylindric and having a removable cover 13, which is provided on its rim with slots or notches a. The wall of the case has pivoted bolts 1) and a thumbscrew 0 on each bolt. By swinging the bolts up so as to engage the slots or notches on the rim of the cover the thumb-screws will take position above the said rim and may be turned to tightly clamp the cover onto the case.

The cover has an automatic blow-off valve consisting of a puppet-valve cl, seated by a spring and inclosed by a cover d. If gaspressure in the closed receptacle should at anytime exceed the tension of the spring, the

puppet-valve will unseat and said excess pres sure will blow off. The cover alsohas a cock c, for testing the condition of the receptacle. If water flows out when this cock is opened, it will be known that the calcium carbid in the receptacle is exhausted. It gas escapes, it will be known that it is not exhausted. The cover also has a tubular neck f, with a flanged mouth, and bolts f are pivoted on the neck, like those on the wall of the case A. The gas-pipe g, to which the neckf is connected, has at its lower end a flange provided With notches into which the pivoted bolts f swing and where they are tightened. by the thumbscrews on them. A suitable washer (shown in solid black in Fig. 4) makes a tight joint between the tubular neck f and the pipe end 9. It will be seen that this or some similar ready-fastening device will enable the calcium-carbid receptacle to be attached to the gas-pipe or removed therefrom without trouble.

In order that the receptacle may be filled with calcium carbid and that the latter may be so disposed within the receptacle in segregated masses or charges as to permit water to be applied to only a small portion of it at a time and until all has become wet, and while this wetting process is gradually proceeding maintain that part which is dry in a dry condition, I have provided numerous divisions or spaces connected in series to contain the material and an approach or way for the flow of water from one division or space to another in regular order or sequence. One contrivance to accomplishthis is shown in Figs. at and 6, to which reference is now made. A number of pans or trays C are set within the case A. It is preferable to'number these trays from 1 upward, so that tray No. 1 may setin the bottom and tray No. 2 upon No. 1. In this way the top tray, as here shown, would be No. 5. Each tray has aflanged rim 1' and a guide-notch h on its rim which take on, a vertical strip or bead h, fixed on the inner side of the wall of the case A, so as to insure that on. removing the trays and replacing them again the differently-numbered trays will always have the same relative position. Each tray has at the inner side of its rim several inward-projecting lugs i, which serve as seats on which the tray immediately above tests. The trays also have a number of di- Vision-wallsjj', extending radially from the center and forming spaces is k 70 70 k or little compartments. One division-wallj is higher than the others, and the space M at one side of the highest division-wall j contains an overflow-pipe m, which has the same height as the lower walls j. The rim-notch hon No. 5 or top tray comes opposite the space 70 but in No. 4 tray this notch will come opposite space It), and in No. 3 tray the notch will come opposite space 10 and so on. At the center of the top tray No. 5 is a receiving-pocket Z, which is open only to the first space 70, which has the high divisi0nwall at one of its sides, and this pocket is closed to all the other spaces.

In the operation of this device the terminal or discharge end (1 of the water-pipe, which has position directly over the central receiving-pocketl of the top tray, will deliver water into said pocket, which water will flow into the space It and wet the calcium carbid in said space and generate gas. The water is delivered veryslowly, and when it rises to the height of the lowerdivision-wall] the water then overflows into the space k -and generates gas by wetting the calcium carbid placed therein, and then the water will overflow into the space and so on, passing in succession to the other spaces until the last space it is reached. When the waterin this last space has risen high enough, it will run down the overflow-pipe m into the space 70 of the tray below,(No. 4 tray,) and asthe water continues to be delivered (all the spaces in tray No. 5 being full of water) the several spaces in the No. 4 tray will be filled in succession, and then the water will run over and down the overflow-pipe into the next tray below (No. 3) and the operation of filling the spaces in succession will be repeated. This operation will then he repeated as to the next tray below, (No. 2,) and then finally as to the lowermost tray, (No. l.) The gas that is evolved will pass up the pipe g.

It will be understood that acetylene gas is evolved only by the reaction resulting from combining water with the calcium cat-bid. As long as the calcium carbid remains dry no gas generates; but as soon as water is applied the gas-making commences.

A simple apparatus for storing the gas will first be described, and then the means for slowly supplying t he water to the calcium carbid and for automatically controlling the supply will be set forth.

A tank D to contain water has a double bottom n 'n, with a gas-space n between. A stand-pipe n rises at the center from the upper bottom, and gas-inlet pipe g opens into the space M, and an outlet-pipe it leads out of the space. The tank D also contains the gas-holder E, whose open end is inserted in the water. This gas-holder is raised by the inflowing gas and lowers as the gas passes out of the pipe n. Any form of flexible chamber or diaphragm may be used instead of this gas-holder.

The water-supply originates in a suitable receiver or funnel E, which has a dial-cock 0 to regulate the flow of water from it, so that it may he set to allow a definite quantity of water to pass from it in a given time. This is the maximum quantity that can pass. In the pipe to which the dial-cock is attached is a regulating and cut-oft valve 19, to which a lever 19 is attached. This lever has a slot 19 ,in one end and is here connected with the top of the gas-holder E. This construction and combination produces an automatic action as to the opening and closing of the cut-off valve 19, as follows: When the gas in the holder E diminishes and the holder in consequence lowers, the effect is to open the regulatingvalve p wider and allow more water to pass. On the other hand, when the gas in the holder accumulates and the holder in consequence rises the effect is to nearly close or entirely close the valve p, thus diminishing'the watersupply or entirely cutting off said supply.

From the regulating-valve]; a pipe q extends down and then doubles back and forms a trap q branchesinto a horizontal pipe g each branch havingaglobe-valverr'. Thesetwo branches of water-pipe enter one of the larger and separate gas-pipes g 9 (see Figs. 1, 2, and 4,) and the terminal or discharge end g of the water-pipe projects downward from the gaspipe and enters the tubular neckfof the calcium-carhid receptacle A. The water-pipe is in two parts, and a funnel 19 is on the lower part and serves to show the flowing water.

The receptacles A and certain water and gas pipes and cocks are here shown in duplicate and both sets connected with the main pipes q and g, so that one set may be in operation while the other set is cut out. When the calcium carbid in the one set is exhausted, the other set is automatically operated by the water overflowing and passing through the gas-pipe where the T-joint t is located to the other receptacle. The operation of all the sets is continuous.

The gas-pipes g 9 to which the larger carbid-receptacles A are attached, are each provided with a double cock 8 to cut off both the supplyof mater coming through pipe g g and also to close the gas-pipe which contains the pipeq Onecock,therefore,cutsoffboth. The two gas-pipes g 9 project toward each other and are united and joined to a single pipe 9 by a T-join't t. This single pipe has anotherT- joint 25, which connects with two oppositelyprojecting pipes g 9 each of which has a cock u, and each enters the top of a smaller receptacle G, which contains calcium carhid. The gas produced in the receptacle A is thus passed into a second receptacle G and dehydrated and enriched, and then passes out of the bottom of said receptacle G into pipe 9 which is provided with a cock tt. Each of the two pipes then projects toward the other and extends upward, where it.

IIO

ceases e and are united by a T-joint t and alsojoined to the single down gas-pipe g, which enters the space a in the bottom of the tank.

Duplicate sets of piping and receptacles are here shown, but I contemplate using four sets to one storage apparatus and one automatic water-controlling apparatus.

the bottom 11 0f the relief-valve receptacle H (see Fig. 3)and projects up into said receptacle. The end of this terminalis open, and a small hole to is in the side of this pipe, just above the bottom 12 of the receptacle. A stop-plate 00 is secured in the receptacle above the open end of this pipe to prevent the oil which seals the trap 12' from being blown out of the escape-pipeg on top of the receptacle. Holes are in the stop-plate 00 to allow the gaspressure to escape without allowing the oil to be blown out. In the operation of this relief-valve the oil in the trap will confine the gas in the system of pipes under the normal low pressure of such gas; but should any derangeinent in the apparatus occur which causes an increase of gas-pressure then the oil in the trap will be forced by such pressure up into the receptacle H and will be retained there temporarily while the excess pressure is passing through the holes in the stop-plate and escaping to the air through the pipe :1 When the pressure has been relieved, the oil that was forced up into the receptacle will then flow through the side hole to back into the pipeand again seal the'trap.

The construction and arrangement of the receptacle A (see Fig. 4) for calcium carbid, so that water may be applied to only a small portion of the carbid at a time, is such that the water begins to take effect in the upper part of said receptacle first and fills the lower part last. This construction of course may be varied and may be such that the water will take effect first in the lower part and last in the upper part. Figs. 7, 8, and 9 show two modifications of such construction.

Referring to Figs. 7 and-8, the case of the receptacle A is substantially the same as in Fig. at. The special means, however, within the receptacle for disposing of the calcium carbid so that water may be applied to only a small quantity at a time is different and the result is the same. In Fig. 7 a central Water-supply pipe has at-its upper end a funnel l, which is directly below the water-pipe g t, The lower end of the central pipe is open and is near the bottom of the receptacle, and

.tom of the receptacle A and enter through the perforated bottoms of the trays and. Wet the carbid therein. These trays are placed in two vertical series one at the right-hand side of the center tube 2 in Fig. 7 and the other at the left-hand side-spaces 4" being between trays of the same series. Those trays at one side have their bottoms 3 on a plane level with the tops 5 of those at the other side. The result of this is that the water must first completely fill a tray of one series before it will enter the bottom of a tray of the other series. The spaces 4 between the trays allow for the expansion of the ash incident to the reaction.

Referring to Fig. 9, the trays in this case are spiral, as at 6. The central pipe andfunnel l and the perforated tube 2 are the same as in Fig. 7. As the water rises in the receptacle A it acts on only a small portion of the calcium carbid at a time placed on the spiral tray 6.

An important feature in this apparatus is the double cock 8, whereby both the water and gas are shut off from a carbidq'eceptacle. This cock is placed in as close relation to the receptacle A as possible. When the receptacle is found to be'exhausted, the double cock is closed and the valve 0" on the waterpipe which connects with the next double cock is opened. All the double cocks are normally open, and closed only when a receptacle is found to be exhausted and is to be removed. VVhen the carbid in a receptacle is exhausted, the water continues to run into the receptacle, and as the same is already full of water and the residuum or ash the water will pass upward through the gas part ofsaid double cock and then pass along the horizontal gas-pipe through the T-jointt and find its way th rough the next double cock to the sec- 0nd receptacle and starts 'to evolving gas therefrom. Thus the apparatus will make gas continuously without interruption to the process.

When the receptacles are filled at a factory or depot, they may be sealed by a disk placed over the neck and clamping said disk by the bolts f.

It will be seen that I have provided receptacles for containing calcium carbid and sealing same to exclude the atmosphere and have so arranged trays in said receptacles as to make divisions or spaces and have contrived for supplying water thereto so that only a small portion of the carbid in the receptacle will be made wet at the same time. By my invention the sealed receptacles containing a fresh supply of calcium carbid may be carried to the consumer, his exhausted receptacles containing the water and spent carbid or ash may be readily removed from the pipes, and the freshly-charged receptacles put in their place and readily fastened to the pipe system, all without exposure of the calcium carbid. The receptacles may be attached to the pipe and removed without any of the acetylene gas escaping, which is objectionable because of its odor and combustible character. The removal of the receptacles is accomplished in a simple, safe, and cleanly manner and different from that heretofore employed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the com bination with a calcium-carbid receptacle, of a gas-exit pipe for said receptacle, a waterinlet pipe for said receptacle, and means for supporting the carbid, within said receptacle in masses separated from one another, so as.

that the water saturates only a small portion of the carbid at a time.

2. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a calcium-carbid receptacle, of a gas-exit pipe for said receptacle, a waterinlet pipe for said receptacle, means for supporting the carbid in segregated masses within the receptacle, and means to cause the feeding of the water to the several segregated masses successively.

3. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a calcium-carbid receptacle, of a gas-exit pipe for said receptacle, a waterinlet pipe for said receptacle, a series of trays within said receptacle to support the carbid and means to cause the feeding of the water to the several trays successively.

4. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for the calcium carbid, of a gas-exit pipe for said receptacle, a

water-inlet pipe for said receptacle,'and a tray within the receptacle to support the carbid, said tray being divided into two or more compartments and means to cause the water to be fed successively to said compartments.

5. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a receptacle, for the calcium carbid, of a gas-exit pipe for said receptacle, a Water-inlet pipe for said receptacle, and a series of superimposed trays within the receptacle to support the carbid, said trays being divided into two or more compartments, and means to cause the water to be fed successively to said compartments and superim posed trays.

6. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for the calcium carbid, of a gas-exit pipe for said receptacle, a

7. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a receptacle for the calcium carbid, of a gas-exit pipe for said receptacle, a water-inlet pipe for said receptacle, and a series of superimposed trays within the receptacle to support the carbid, said traysloeing divided radially into two or more compartments, and means to cause the water to be fed successively to said compartments and superimposed trays.

8. In a calcium-carbidgas apparatus, the combination of a gas-conduit pipe; a smaller water-pipe having its discharge end fixed within the terminal of said gas-pipe; a receptacle havinga tubular neck for connection with said gas-pipe, so that gas can pass out of said receptacle and water pass in; and an internal tray for supporting calcium carbid in spaces or divisions so as to admit of water being applied to only a small portion of the calcium carbid at a time.

9. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the co1n= bination with a carbid-receptacle having a gas-exit pipe suitably connected therewith, of a water-supply pipe of smaller diameter than said gas-pipe entering said gas-pipe at a point outside of the connection of said gaspipe with said receptacle, passing down the said gas-pipe, and discharging into said re ceptacle through the said gas-pipe, so as to provide a water-inlet and gas-exit through the same orifice in said receptacle.

10. In a calcium-carbid-gas apparatus, the combination of a gas-conduit pipe; a smaller water-pipe having its discharge end fixed within the terminal of said gas-pipe; a receptacle having a tubular neck for connection with said gas-pipe, so that gas can pass out of said receptacle and water pass in; and a double cockcontrolling gas-pipe and also the water-pipe which is within the gas-pipe.

11. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination of a gas-holder having aninlet-pipe; a water-supply pipe having a regulatingvalve; a plural number of primary receptacles, as, A, for inclosing calcium carbid, a gas-pipe from each of said primary receptacles and all of the said pipes connecting with the said inlet-pipe which opens into the gas-holder; a plural number of water-pipes branching from said water-supply pipe and one of said branch pipes leading to each primary receptacle; and a double cock controlling the gas-pipe and water-pipe of each primary receptacle.

12. In an apparatus for generating acetylene gas, a casing having a gas-outlet and a water-controlled inlet in combination with a receptacle divided into a series of comparta gas-exit pipe connected with said recepta- 01c, and a water-inlet pipe entering said gasexit pipe at a point outside of the point of connection of said gas-pipe with said receptacle, and passing through said gas-pipe to the orifice of the carbid-receptacle into which it discharges.

14. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a gas generator, of a gas-receiving tank, a pipe connecting said generator with said tank, an automatic relief-valve in said pipe consisting of an S-shaped pipe having a liquid seal, a receptacle into which said tube discharges, and means to prevent the escape of the liquid from said receptacle.

15. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination with a gas-generator, of a gas-receiving tank, a pipe connecting said generator with said tank, an open S-shaped pipe, a liquid seal for said S-shaped pipe, a receptacle into which said last-named pipe discharges, means for preventing the escape of the liquid from said receptacle, and means to cause said liquid to return to the S-shaped pipe.

16. In an acetylene-gas apparatus, the combination With a calciu m-carbid receptacle, of a gas-exit pipe connected with said receptacle, a Water-inlet pipe for said carbid-1'ecep-' Witnesses:

OHAs. B. MANN, LEE 1. VAN HORN. 

